


Two-faced

by PancakeKingz



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Based off an rp I did once, Doctor Izumi, Eye Trauma, Gen, In which Izumi is an actual doctor and Midori does something, Izumako Implied, Izumi is OP, Jekyll and Hyde AU, One Shot, POV Third Person Limited, Possessiveness, Thriller, i need more tags, small amount of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22582129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PancakeKingz/pseuds/PancakeKingz
Summary: It was almost second nature at this point for Izumi to take in those lost in the woods, finding them during his routine nightly stroll. After all, the outside was far more dangerous than his humble abode.
Relationships: Morisawa Chiaki & Izumi Sena, Sena Izumi & Takamine Midori, Sena Izumi/Yuuki Makoto (Ensemble Stars!)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	Two-faced

The briskness of the cold bit into the sky, puncturing the darkness with pinpricks of light. The wind whistled and howled through the forest, blowing about the newly formed flowers and buds of spring that lurked beneath. Wandering through the thickest neck of the woods was a lone man, painted by the bright luminescence deriving above through the naked tree branches. Silvery grey locks of hair belonging to the boy wafted about as he traversed, meanwhile the breeze bit at his cheeks, turning them a light pink and blowing about his pearly white lab coat.

The man was none other than Izumi Sena, an acclaimed  doctor who was currently griping under his own breath over failing to find an ingredient for his latest concoction. Oblivious to what was around him, Izumi paced forward without a care in the world for what may or may not have been lurking about in the darkness.    
  
A steel lanturn rattled in his grip as he held it positioned in front of himself. The candlelight danced inside it’s glass case, graciously illuminating a path before the boy. There was a brief moment amongst his ramblings where he had tripped over what he presumed was a stone or twig. Stumbling forward, Izumi barely managed to catch his balance. His head snapped in the direction of the object in question, only to be surprised with seeing a boy lying flat on the ground instead.    
  
The corners of his mouth bent downwards, turning into a stern look that only complimented the charged glare refracted by his electric blue eyes. Izumi’s pale hand shot up to his face, pushing up the grey glasses that had crookedly slid down the bridge of his nose. He then approached the boy, holding the lantern lower to see his face clearly. 

“Just what do you think you’re doing out here?” His tone was rather wary, a result from being out so late.

Midori felt a short pinching pain near his feet, knocking him out of his blank gaze. The chilled, damp grass combined with the smell of freshly reawakened forest captured into a still life always seemed to distract him just long enough from the sadness of the horrible world he was living in. He didn’t care about the pain, and if it wasn’t for the loud thump on the ground next to him, he wouldn’t have bothered shifting his focus from the little mushrooms surrounding him onto the blindingly bright lantern. 

His mind was still foggy with thoughts as he attempted to comprehend the situation. He wondered if Will-o’-the-Wisps would haunt his trek through the forest. After all, he was quite the optimal clientele, being a wandering explorer with little hope. This was not an uncommon mentality for Midori. Before he could properly take refuge in his mind, a harsh voice dragged him back to his crushing reality. 

Groaning, Midori squinted and shifted his gaze past the lantern to find the silhouette of a man donning a lab coat looking down at him. He didn’t feel as if he should answer, but a small part of him longed for a connection. 

“I don’t, uh, know where I am, so how should I know...? I’m just looking for... sights? Experiences...? Anything to fill the void in my heart and give me something to continue living for...? Is that good enough...?” He sighed, his eyes finally adapting to the light. Their gazes had only aligned for a moment before Midori awkwardly shifted his away.    
  


Izumi kneeled down, leaning his face closer to the boy. Frosty blue eyes darted between his body and face, just short of an inspection. A small sigh left his lips as the doctor stood up straight again, dropping the lantern to his side. 

“Well, you don’t appear to be injured in any shape or form. Though, not knowing where you are is quite concerning. It’s dangerous being out at this time of night, especially with the rumours around here...” Izumi appeared deep in thought as his voice trailed off. A lapse in concentration that had ended as soon as it began before he snapped back to reality. His expression softening with his tone. 

“As ominous as it sounds, even as a stranger I suppose I could allow you to stay the night. You’d probably catch frostbite staying out here for too long and I’m not necessarily looking for another patient at the moment.” 

Midori looked up at the grey haired man, his profile illuminated by the bright full moon looming eerily over the forest’s crown. A sudden shiver crawled up his spine, rousing Midori. The words of the young doctor echoed through his mind, bringing back fragments of past memories, if only for a brief moment. 

Quickly trying to repress the memories he unwillingly forced his focus back on the supposed doctor towering before him. 

Without thinking much of it a “F-fine,” escaped his mouth. 

Realizing that he had agreed to the strange doctor’s proposition, Midori wasn’t sure if he should be worried about following an unknown stranger who could potentially be a murderer home. Not certain what was more concerning, he decided his exhaustion outweighed his caution. After all, it didn’t take much to figure that the man was in fact a doctor, and those were usually well-trusted figures in the medical field. If anything, a sudden change of scenery would at least be able to give his present existence more intrigue.    
  
A sudden howl emerged from the forest trees, breaking the silence of the cold night and pulling him out of his thoughts once again. Without awaiting a response, Midori stood up, awaiting to follow the other. 

Taking a few steps in the direction of his house, Izumi looked back at the boy from over his shoulder. There was a small smile on his face, his eyes holding a warmth that contrasted greatly with their cold colouration.

“The name’s Izumi Sena if you were curious, and if you hadn’t pieced it together yet, yes I’m a doctor.” Only after the boy stood up to face him did he raise the lantern once more. “It’s not very far from here...my house I mean.” he muttered as he broke into a brisk trot. 

The lost explorer accompanied the mysterious doctor, his gaze drifting through the trees while blindly following Izumi’s footsteps into the night. 

Some time had passed as he focused on the doctor’s back, questioning the figure before him. “Why...uh, why do you... live in such a secluded place?” Midori questioned stiffly, thumbs twiddling together in a display of his anxiety. 

To Midori’s obliviousness, Izumi raised his eyebrows in surprise. His voice was explanatory, yet rested at an octave higher than he had expected. 

“Things are easier when there’s no distractions around.” He answered unambiguously.

The lantern swung from side to side as they strolled, producing faints clinks of metal that echoed into the stillness of the night. The two wove through the many trees, eventually making their way out of the thick maze-like forest and into a clearing. The wanderer pondered how the doctor could make his way around in such perpetual darkness.

There, perched atop a stubby hill, stood a grandiose house of sorts. A crooked mansion, if you will. It definitely showed its age. The tiles on the side were browning from years of erosion; some of which had fallen, swept away by time. The shingles weren’t much better. The windows looked like they needed a good cleaning, appearing to be caked in a solid layer of dust, made obvious by the scrutinous glare of the silver moon.

Midori cautiously followed the stranger, hesitating the closer they got to the disturbingly peaceful mansion. 

When Izumi approached the front porch, the aged wooden steps creaked violently beneath him. The porch continued to groan under his shifting weight, sending crows scattering into the night sky. Midori flinched at the dozens of inky wings soaring away. Emotions started flooding into Midori’s soul, filling him with adrenaline. The sheer amount of emotions made Midori feel...alive. And for the first time in forever, he felt something. He stood before the grand front door, three arcs arching above it regally, waiting for any movements from the doctor. 

Midori slowly stepped onto the porch, unsure of what was to come as the other had opened the door to make way for him to enter. 

The doctor took the liberty of walking ahead, quickly slipping off his shoes and leaving them on a mat by the door. The lantern’s light lit up the foyer, casting Izumi’s shadow across the walls, following him down the corridor. Antique paintings engulfed the walls of the hallway, snapshots of important people from seemingly different worlds, meticulously aligned in golden frames. The house was anything if not well adorned. 

The man soon wandered into a large room, scrummaging around in nearby drawers until he produced a match stick. He took turns lighting several candles around the room, casting the illusion of dancing stars in the night sky. 

The living room was standard: there were two couches separated by a small coffee table, all which stood in front of a grand fireplace. Along the opposite side of the room stood a large desk piled with papers. There were multiple bookcases, all coated in dust, that held a variety of titles. Cobwebs decorated unreachable corners of the ceiling.

Izumi tossed the burnt match stick into a nearby rubbish bin and attended to his lantern, flicking it off before shoving a pile of paperwork aside to place it down on his desk. Then, his attention was set on the fireplace, pacing over as he rolled up his sleeves, bending down to set it alight. Once that was done, the fire glowed upon the room, making the shadows dance along the walls even further. 

“Make yourself at home. You must be thirsty, and who knows how long you’ve been out there for.” Izumi started, taking several steps closer and turning to face the boy. “Wait here, I’ll go make us some tea.” And with that, he stepped away for a moment.    
  


As he had walked through the corridor, it had almost felt as though the eyes of the painted figures had been stalking Midori from behind in the shadows. The floorboards had screeched underneath his heels, almost leaving footprints in the layer of dust atop a multitude of worn rugs. 

Midori’s cool ocean eyes drifted throughout the living space, illuminated with a reddish hue from the candles that flickered with the cold winds that whistled throughout the exterior of the old mansion walls. They were drawn to one of the many bookcases, observing the shelves lined to the brim with books—seeking anything to learn more about this mysterious doctor. He found that his hand had slid itself across one, catching a load of dust and cobwebs. Midori winced instantly, shaking off the scattering dust. He was lost in thought for a moment before his eyes fell to the roaring flames of the grand fireplace with its huge, baleful lion’s head engraved into the stone.   
  


As quickly as he had left earlier, the grey-haired doctor soon returned, strolling in with a sense of pride as he held a silver engraved tray between his hands. He paced over to the small dinette in a leisurely manner, setting down the salver. First Izumi distributed the two coasters, placing fine china upon them both before lifting the pot of tea to pour it into his guest’s cup. The aromatic beverage swirled through the cup, a misty trail of steam emitted in its wake.

Izumi soon poured for himself as well, sitting down on the couch and gesturing to his guest to do the same. He picked up his cup, blowing at it while crossing his legs in a more proper position. Taking a sip, Izumi exhaled a satisfied sigh, his eyes darting up to the other, sporting a curious look.

“Sit down. There’s no need to be such a stranger, you know? Unless you’d rather risk your life being out there...”

“Uh-uhm yes... thank you for that. I don’t think I’ve introduced myself yet... but...” He softly muttered while taking his cup and awkwardly sitting down on the couch. It creaked under his weight, shifting just as he did. “I’m Midori... just Midori... I am really grateful for you allowing me to stay the night...”

He paused momentarily, glimpsing upwards at the age tinted ceiling with an exhale.

“If I could do something... to help or repay you, please tell me. I would like to make myself useful and somehow return your hospitality...”

He tried his best to look the doctor in the eyes, which for whatever reason was growing increasingly difficult for the young man. Moonlight from the outside shone onto half of the doctor’s face whilst the other was obscured by the darkness. A sudden flash of lightning lit up the entirety of his unsettling features, causing Midori to flinch.

“Midori...” The name rolled off the doctor’s tongue far too easily. That same smile from earlier returned on the man’s face, it was just a kind, simple smile. 

“There is no need for repayment, especially for a well behaved boy like yourself. It’s enough to know that I’m keeping someone out of harm’s way.” Absentmindedly, his gaze drifted towards the clock that stood atop the fireplace, eyes widening somewhat at the time.

_ The clock read 11:29 pm. _

Izumi hastily set his tea cup down, standing up partially with his hands digging into the pockets of his lab coat. He pulled out a miniature cylindrical  tin which rattled upon doing so. He then seated himself down again, popping it open to shake out two tiny pills which fell into his other hand. Rime coloured eyes fell to the clock again. 

_11:30 pm_.

Picking up his cup once more, Izumi placed the pills in his mouth before taking a swig of his tea. He stared at the boy afterwards, looking a little sheepish. 

“It’s nothing to worry about,” He assured him. “Just some of my medication.”

Midori watched it all unfold, rather confused, his expression laced with concern.

The rain and wind continued to patter furiously against the towering windows, some of which had found its way into the room through the spider-webbing cracks in the glass. The storm outside worsened, and Midori wasn’t sure how exactly the house was still holding itself together.

"I hope it’s nothing too...bad...?" Midori’s question was wrought with concern, brows furrowed, lips tightened. He sipped his tea, which had now cooled down to a comfortable temperature. It filled Midori with a sense of warmth, granting him a sliver of comfort in this unsettling situation. Something in his gut was edging him away, but he still wanted to trust Izumi. After all, he always wanted to return any kindness given to him. 

He leaned forward, seeking to gain the doctor’s attention, “Could I help you somehow?”

Izumi’s sapphire eyes looked slightly dazed as he stared for far too long at the boy, almost as if he were in an entirely different world. He blinked, shaking his head and knocking himself out of his trance. He waved his hand in a casual gesture, though his smile had faded, now replaced by a blank expression.

A beat passed before he spoke up again.

“It’s fine, really. I have the tendency to pass out easily, that’s all. I probably just have a weak heart, though—regardless it’s—nothing.” The end of the doctor’s sentence ended quickly, perhaps a touchy subject. He glanced at the clock once more.

_ 11:39 pm. _

“The pills just take some time to kick in is all...” He murmured. His blinking slowed, and he looked away from the boy. Taking another sip of his tea, it was now his turn to interrogate. 

“Do you find yourself lost in places often then? It seems pretty foolish if you ask me, unless you have some sort of goal in mind...”

Midori had a feeling the doctor was lying, or at least he wasn’t sharing the entirety of his ailment. 

The wanderer was now aware of Izumi’s constant glances towards the clock, and also noticed some rather odd behavior. 

Midori piped up, “I-I’m an explorer... traveling around... I’m always looking to find a slither of happiness in this cruel world—” A loud thunder deafened his last word, illuminating the room in which the wind blew out the flickering candles, darkening it. 

A cold shiver was sent down Midori’s spine as he noticed his body starting to tremble. He continued the conversation whilst reaching downwards to fiddle with his backpack. “I-uh, was meaning to ask... what are you doing out here... like how do you manage to live out here?” Finally managing to open his bag, Midori took out two neatly folded blankets. He kept the ragged one for himself and gestured for Izumi to take the newer one.

The doctor shook his head in response. “It’s fine... I’d like to not give into the symptoms of my disorder, especially when I think the pills aren’t working like they should... it’s rather annoying...” The silver haired man settled down his cup on the table before stretching his arms upwards, cracking his back in the process. He raised a hand to his mouth, covering it as he faintly yawned.

“In repayment for your kindness, I’ll splurge on the details of what I’m practising here...” Pausing, Izumi leaned forward in an attempt to keep himself more awake. “I’m currently working on developing the perfect being...” Another glance at the clock.

_ 11:43 pm. _

With a shaky hand, Midori awkwardly put the blanket back into his bag, stumbling as he did. “Wha-what do you mean by,” A loud thunder interrupts him mid-sentence. “By... creating a perfect... being?” Midori looked confused at the drowsy host sitting in front of him. 

More candles were put out by the wind. He heard the cawing of crows outside, giving an ominous sensation to the already disturbing atmosphere, but the crackling of the fire place along with the ticking of the clock made him feel a little more at ease. Though, only a little.

“I must say, I-I’m rather confused. If it wouldn’t be too... uh... much trouble... would you care to explain?”

In another attempt to rid himself of his tired state, Izumi stood and began pacing behind the couch. He continued to glance towards the clock, every now and then, before he spoke again.

_ 11:47 pm. _

“A few years ago... I discovered a creature. I have to say, it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen...”

_11:49 pm_.

“I wanted it all to myself..." Izumi stared down at his hands. "But in doing so, I scared it away. I’ve been searching for it ever since, but my efforts have proven unsuccessful. That’s when I thought, ‘What if I created a replica? A being just like it?’ Then it could be all mine again...”

_ 11:51 pm. _

Izumi paused in his steps, turning to look at the boy. A strike of lightning illuminated the room once again, leaving his face shining amongst the partial darkness. The thunder that soon followed served as a suitable pause between his sentences.

“But in my attempts, I instead created something terrible... A creature built from greed and loneliness...” His voice broke off into a whisper as his gaze fell to the floor. His eyes fell, downcast as the vividness was drained from his expression.

“A monster...”

_ 11:56 pm. _

Another cold chill ran down Midori’s spine as he noticed that the candles were completely put out at this point. He looked at Izumi standing in the darkness of the room, the crackling fire pit behind him, the edges of his silhouette glowing. Midori scanned the room nervously, panic filled his eyes. He had a bad feeling about this. The storm outside had reached its peak, the noise of the wind and the rain becoming deafening. 

“Thank you... for... your—” A loud clap of thunder interrupted him, shattering his words into momental silence. “Uh... thank you for your hospitality... I think I should—” He took a quick glance at the clock.

_ 11:59 pm. _

He viewed Izumi once more, lit up by yet another strike of lightning.

_12:00 am_.

The clock chimed loudly, echoing about the room with a strange comfort to the silence. The doctor stood there, still and looming in the darkness. His eyes closed slowly, as he swayed slightly from side to side. There was a long pause before he finally moved again, from this angle, his hair obscured much of his eyes.

“Is something wrong, Midori~?” Drawing out the ending syllables to the Midori’s name, each word was a song of praise. 

_ Step... Step... Step... _

__

The doctor drifted towards Midori, his leisurely steps betraying his confidence as he looked down at the brunette. 

“A pretty boy like yourself shouldn’t have anything to worry about...” The tone interlacing Izumi’s words heightened his voice, an oddness seeping into his speech with seeming naturality. Something that occurred often was perhaps the most worrying part of the playful jab, overshadowed by a false innocence that did not go undetected.

_ Step... Step... _

He approached the backside of the couch, all too conveniently blocking the side of the door. The doctor wielded the intelligence of an apex predator with every movement. He stepped closer, towering above the sitting boy. Gentle fingers reached out to him, cupping his face and tilting it upwards. Izumi’s face was close enough for Midori to feel the warmth of the doctor’s breath, so staggeringly normal that a simple breath was all it took to remind Midori that the doctor was the same as him. Everything appeared to be normal, for the most part.

“So... so pretty...” He murmured softly, his exhales imbuing the air with tufts of warmth that disappeared as quickly as they arose.

_ Except... _

The once sapphire blue depths that held an allurance of ice and crystals, now shone with a scarlet decadence. 

“But nothing like Yuu-kun. You’re just in the way...”

Midori was petrified, the doctor may not have been from ancient myths but his charnel gaze was just as paralysing as the tales of old. Fear overtook his body, making movements nothing more than a fantasized ideal. Fleeing was out of the question, a mere scream - let alone one he was incapable of, would be insufficient. His face filled with terror, instilling him with his painstaking mortality. He knew he had to do something but he couldn’t, as much as he would’ve liked to.

“That’s not a very nice face you know... it’s ugly, putrid. Just like the rest who have tried to stop me from having him...” Izumi’s voice was a low, threatening whisper, his words weaving their way into the depths of Midori’s ears. Yet it abruptly returned to a higher octave as a crooked grin stretched his cheeks. Midori was somewhat surprised that his teeth had not been replaced with the points of knives, fangs befitting of the manifestation of his monstrous actions. Izumi’s fingernails dug into the soft skin of the other boy’s face, the pressure of his grasp increasing with every passing second as they seared crescent burns into his cheeks.

_ 12:04 am.  _

“How will you get out of this, I wonder? Fufufu~” The doctor’s taunting question hanging in the air between them, although there were barely centimetres separating the two.

“You failed to notice I locked the door when we came in~ Hehehe... Will you run to the kitchen, to check the back door? Or will you grab a knife to stab me? Fufu... The others have tried that before, you know... I wonder how they turned out~?” With a sickly sweet tone, the giggles that came from the boy were twisted, disturbingly full of the enjoyment that usually accompanied such an action. 

“Hahaha... Maybe you’ll run upstairs? There’s lots of hiding places... The basement is dark, so you wouldn’t be able to see if you went there...” The fact that the doctor was implying Midori may be the only one incapable of navigating himself through blackness was just as frightening as his willingness to provide suggestions that may aid him.

“I’ll give you a five second head start...”

The silver haired boy loosened his grasp, letting his fingers drag themselves off Midori’s face as his hands raised in amusement. Letting go completely, the doctor signaled the beginning of the end.

“Tick... Tock…”

Midori panicked and for a slither of a moment he considered succumbing to the madness, a pitiful surrender to a man that courted insanity. A pang of desperation hit him, a will to live. His thoughts were a mantra as they overcame the fog of his mind. Yet this incentive did not bring the ability to think clearly. Any coherence was clouded by an animalistic instinct for self preservation. The chocolate haired boy jumped to his feet in a hurry, an anguished shriek ripping through his throat.

With all his might he threw the weight of his backpack vaguely in the direction of the monster that was once Izumi Sena.

“Run, Midori! Run!” Izumi trilled playfully into the darkness, swaying on the balls of his feet with both impatience and delight. 

Midori started towards the stairs, last moment thinking causing him to drag his fingers across the edge of a conveniently placed bookcase as he ran, toppling it with his momentum. Knowing Izumi - or rather, whatever he was now, would have the advantage in its home territory, more so in the murkiness of the darkening depths.    
  
His footsteps halted at the beginning of the stairwell, resuming only after having kicked the entirety of a flower vase adorning the space near the banister, down the stairs into what he presumed was the basement. The sound ricocheted off the walls with a combined clattering of pottery shards hitting the floor like clanky raindrops, a decoy, albeit one far from perfection. The cacophony of the collision was enough to allow the boy to slip up the stairs in a way he hoped was undetected.

Upstairs, the explorer frantically searched for any kind of immediate escape route. 

“Three..” Midori could hear it, even from the top of the stairs, the seconds passing incomprehensibly with his franticity. 

The windows were by no means a method of escape considering their height and as much as Midori didn’t want to be confronted by the doctor, his form broken down on the ground below would hardly be an improvement. He dragged his hands across the walls, desperation causing him to contemplate such unrealistic ideas. The darkness pressed inwards on the boy, just as suffocating as the owner’s grasp had been around his throat. 

“Two..” The creak of the floorboards echoed unnervingly, dust-coated and fear-filled as they announced Izumi’s movements.

Although Midori was far from stealthy, he was able to mask his footsteps with the crashes of thunder beyond the walls, lightning illuminating his path for a brief, benevolent moment.

“One..!’’ Izumi crowed gleefully, his sardonic laughter resonating throughout the many rooms of the mansion. “Here I come Midori~! Hehehe... Haha... Hahaha... HAHAHAHA~!’’ 

A deranged set of cackles emanated from the formerly known doctor as he jauntily sauntered towards the set of staircases, stopping just short before the two to eavesdrop on his surroundings. His head snapped towards the basement upon detecting a commotion deriving from it, oblivious that it had been a ruse. 

“I did warn him... Perhaps he really does want to die, hm~? Fufu...” Gripping the handle, he yanked open the door to the basement, bolting down. The shell of the doctor was met with darkness, not like he was unfamiliar with it as his vision quickly adapted, if not to a better extent than what a human was capable of. Cardinal red orbs scanned the perimeter, shifting from lively to a more predetoristic look as they were met with nothing out of the ordinary. His pale face twisted into a pout upon catching a glimpse of the source of the noise. 

“Midori is no fun... I suppose I’ll have to be entertaining in his place instead~” Izumi, attention directed back towards his point of entrance, retreated lackadaisical. He traversed up the flights of stairs, caring not for the time it took him. The creak of the floorboards heralded his shouts, taunts accompanied by ageful groans of wood, a hopeless warning to a hopeless victim.

“Come out Midori~! You make this so~ difficult, it’s really, really annoying~!”

The light at the end of the tunnel only receded farther and farther away from Midori as he heeded the cries from the beast. The time he’d been granted from the diversion allowed him to reach the room at the end of the haunted corridor, the master bedroom. It was especially brimming with vintage antiques, all of which were unknown to Midori, and yet appeared ageless despite the chalky dust coating them. Flickers of brightness revealed the room with every passing stroke of lightning, illuminating a path for the explorer as he traversed about it. 

The boy’s thunderclap heart beat within his chest as he attempted to navigate the unknown house, the resounding roar of thunder matching his breaths as it charged the air with its reverbrent strikes. With every passing moment of freedom, his trepidation lessened, as did the cries of the clouds outside, the sounds sparse. The howl of the wind was not deterred however, as the window frame rattling beneath the weight of ghosts, carelessly hung curtain rods shuddering in turn. Little to the explorer’s knowledge, the tumultuous resonance of thunder gradually shook the stability of the brackets, weakening their grasp to the wall with every tremor.   
  
Another thunder echoed through the sky, resulting in a loud popping noise resonating from the curtain rack, followed by creaking as it fell from its grace. A dim light flooded into the room, one that was spiked with spinnerets of lightning, visible from the half fallen curtain pole now resting on the floor. The commotion caused Midori to jump backwards, staggering off balance ever so slightly as shaky, inconsistent hands struggled to hoist up one of the nearby objects for protection. A metallic candelabra had been the weapon of choice, plucked right off its perch on the ground. The weight of the candelabra proved to be too much for the boy to wield dexterously, needing to lug it slightly higher than his shoulder in order to keep a stable grip. He was prepared to harm the motionless threat before him, ready at any given moment to strike.   
  
It remained raised for a brief moment while Midori took the pleasure in attempting to calm his ever rising heart rate. There was something odd about the pile of tattered, moth-eaten maroon curtains before him. Midori’s pure blue eyes squinted upon peering down.

With another flash of lightning, it became clearer in the brief moment of light. Several photographs covered the pile of cloth, with varying degrees of clarity and exposures, clinging tightly to the fabric with sticky backings that could have only been applied by precise fingers. In the same moment, Midori was able to distinguish the subject in the squares that littered the curtains. Each photograph, every single one, focused on a blur of yellow- or rather, a figure with blonde hair, captured in the midst of escaping the camera’s aperture. A vague figure in each, with oddly clear photos scattered about the ones he was able to see. 

Midori grimaced, before him lay a repulsive obsession. Glancing around, it became evident how far this infatuation consumed the doctor. Photos covered the entirety of the room, adorning the curtains and decorating the deteriorating vintage wallpaper that peeled back at the corners. 

As if the photograph-covered curtains weren’t bad enough, he shifted his gaze to the floorboards, watching his footing precautionarily, his stomach lurched at the realization that the photographs covered even the floor, strewn about every which way. Each step he had taken in the bedroom had made contact with at least one photo. 

  
Midori felt a twinge of sympathy for the subject of the photos, almost feeling bad to witness another with the potential of a fate similar to that of his own - if it had not been delivered already. Not a single photo submitted a smile, or anything remotely close to a positive emotion. They all looked miserable and afraid, eerily similar to how Midori felt.    
  
Yet, something felt off. He was certain the other should have been there by now, the echoes of their voice ended not long ago. Perhaps the monster was waiting, attempting to toy with his prey before sinking teeth into it, wanting to see just how long Midori would struggle. Midori only felt more anxious with every rising second of the twisted game he was forced to partake in. 

“You are not allowed to tarnish his beauty,’’ A set of arms encircled his waist, a lingering touch constricting his breath as the contact filled Midori’s lungs with fear, anchoring itself deep within his ribs, unwavering as it pilfered air from every suspiration. The beast lay it’s head on Midori’s shoulder, mouth dangerously close to the boy’s ear as he spoke, words laced with utmost jealousy, all the while masquerading as a toying mockery. “Perfection is undeserving of the filth you carry. After all... his grace is mine alone.’’ 

Rather than struggling, Midori stilled, any sense of movement long absent. The doctor had a poison and it was one that specializes in paralysis, already coursing through Midori’s veins. His entire willpower was focused on stillness, denying the instincts that compelling him into motion. His traitorous heart disobeyed these commands, coerced by fear into a stampede of terror, a thrumming warcry of near silence. “All yours... huh...’’ The boy’s voice echoed, tinged with a darkness he thought was unique to the doctor. His fingers curled around the candelabra, tightening his grasp as the cold seeped into his skin, metal leaching any warmth that could have been.    
  


There was a brief moment where the opportunistic light of hope glimmered. The instant the doctor drew breath to speak again, his grip around Midori’s waist lessened, a predator’s jaws slackening around it’s prey. Perhaps the blond boy was capable of surfacing something akin to compassion within the monster, even if his presence was nothing more than a mere mention. Regardless of the doctor’s potential empathy, his words were short lived. 

As swiftly as he could muster, the explorer spun in the other’s hold, wrenching his free elbow towards Izumi’s chest whilst raising the candelabra. He brought the makeshift weapon down onto the temple of the doctor’s head, the sound of metal colliding with flesh reverberating throughout the room.   
  


The creature stumbled, yet Midori had taken flight before seeing the true extent of the aftermath. His frantic footfalls carried him through the corridor connecting the room to the stairwell within a few panic-stricken heartbeats. He hastened down the stairs, pace causing him to skip over every second step with ease.

Izumi staggered back, reeling from the sudden blow, instinctively raising his arm to staunch the flow of blood. However, the action did more harm than good as the motion, paired with the wound he suffered from, threw the doctor off balance. He hit the edge of the nightstand with deafening thud, only stunning him further. Though the collisions’ effects were seemingly short-lived as after a moment the doctor became responsive once more. He held his hand to the side of his head suffering from the blunt force, the candelabra lying discarded a few feet away, stained red with the rust from his veins. Blood seeped over his fingertips, rivulets of ferrous liquid drawing their scarlet paths across his skin as they fell to the floor like raindrops. The doctor stood there motionless for a heartbeat, observing the residue decrease gradually, the only remains a dull throb and a mark of rubies trailing the injury. 

The unanticipated impact had dislodged a box of pills from its place, initially sitting on the bedstand’s top surface. As Izumi placed one hand on the nightstand, the canister of pills had fallen onto the ground from the sudden jostle, bursting open and scattering its contents across the floor with a collection of clatters.   
  


“That hurt, you brat.” His words were laced with a twinge of disappointment, before bolting towards the edge of the staircase and vaulting himself over the banister, a loud thump following his landing. He glanced at the basement door, it hadn’t moved, signalling that the other must’ve ran back into the living room. 

  
Blessed with another moment of freedom, Midori ruminated over the fact this may be his final chance at escape. He seized the hard-bound cover of a nearby book, hauling it along as he ran towards one of the windows. The frames bled into the scenery of the living room, barely visible as the extravagance of the room obscured their view. Midori raised the book, bringing it down on the frangible glass, shattering it to pieces. Glass intermingled with the rhythmic pattering of rain, clear shards rolling over his skin as others imbedded themselves with pricks of red. Without any regard for the splinters of glass poking from the fixture, Midori attempted to drag himself through the newly made opening. 

Within a heartbeat, Midori felt the telltale grip of the doctor grasp his ankles with incomparable speed. Izumi tightened his hold with an almost animalistic growl, wrenching the boy from his irremediable chance at escape. His deep ruby eyes smouldered amongst the shadows, embers watching from the ash as Midori squirmed helplessly, subjected to the will of the doctor once more.

“That’s not fair Midori... You hurt me... so that means... I get to hurt you right~?’’ He simpered conceitedly, his voice the final sound heard before he began to drag Midori away. His trail was signified by the crunch and tear of glass against both the floorboards and the explorer’s body as he was hauled off to the basement. 

Midori tried to clamber towards his chance of freedom, nails clawing frantically at the frame, then the wall and finally the floor as the doctor ripped his form away from the structure, along with his hope of escape. Any sense of freedom became nothing more than a pipe dream as Izumi dug his claws into the boy’s flesh as he walked.

The shards of the window dug deep into Midori’s soft skin, leaving trails of crimson behind as they descended. The excruciating pain made Midori let out a cry of agony, stentorian to anyone but his captor. He began to thrash about in a final desperate attempt at escape, his movements gradually slowing as fatigue wore away at him. The effects of his wounds commenced as the adrenaline was drained from him as well, blood and energy left behind on the stairs.   
  
Upon entering the basement, Izumi threw Midori into it. The boy rolled harshly into the wall, grunting from the impact. He wanted to scream, to keep screaming in hopes it would all just go away, however, he wasn’t about to let the other get any further satisfaction from what he was going to do to him.   
  


Thoughts ran rampant as blue eyes slowly cracked open, observing where the monster had been. The thought of dying crossed his mind, becoming more evident with the reality he was facing. Another attempt to sit up only ended in failure. Midori’s body felt weaker with every passing second, lethargy taking control. Finding a way to fight back was seemingly impossible as the pain became too intense, rendering him useless. 

“Staying quiet now, Midori? Aren’t we having fun? You should really say something.” Izumi whined, his horrible request failing to change anything. He stepped towards a set of cabinets and drawers, rummaging through them with ambiguous intent. Random objects were thrown from his incomprehensible searching from time to time. He paused momentarily, a slight giggle emanating from him as he parted his lips for darkened words to spill forth. 

“This.... this will do...” He directed his attention towards the boy, stepping closer. Footsteps echoed against the floor, one at a time. There was a long object in his hands, a needle, barely differing from the ones frequently seen in clinics.    
  
“Now then, it’s my turn~” He purred, watching the explorer’s eyes widen with fear. 

“Fuck off... you... monster!” Midori sputtered weakly. One last effort at defiance left his lips, one that made said monster growl with annoyance as it closed in on the poor boy. 

“Aww... it always saddens me when the time comes for the epilogue~’’ Izumi cooed, leaning over the boy, his shadow casting darkness across Midori in more ways than one. The doctor twisted his fingers over the needle, worrying the lip of the plunger with evident amusement. He chuckled as he eyed the boy hungrily, lips curving into a twisted smile, broken by lies and sung by madness. 

“Remember the rumours I mentioned earlier, Midori~? Well, there’s a murderer in these woods, you know... Fufufufu...” Izumi quickly maneuvered, straddling the boy’s waist and pinning his arms down with his knees. “They say he needs pills to maintain his sanity,” There was an inhumane strength to him, one that he didn’t have before.

“I can see you’re so eager to know, sweet, hideous Midori... well... that murderer...’’

“Is me~! Hehe... hahaha... hahahaha~!’’ Once Izumi had recovered from his controlled hysterics, he raised the needle towards the boy’s neck, gliding the point across his skin deviously. He prodded Midori ever so often, tightening his grasp as the boy reacted, each motion accompanied by sickening laughter. 

The feeling of cold metal prodding his skin brought Midori to his senses, or at least what was left of them. ‘This was it,’ He thought. ‘There was no hope.’

Somehow, even in this kind of situation, the outcome was something Midori had grown used to during his life. Him, lying on the ground, ready for the earth to finally reclaim him. Though where he would normally be pulled up from the darkness, back into light, there was no hope for him to grasp. The only possibility left for Midori was the light at the end of the tunnel now, which nearly blinded him with flashes of his life. Truly, the unfortunate boy’s only salvation now was to give in, left to the whims of the monster on top of him.

After having his fun toying with Midori’s anxiety, the hysterical doctor brought the needle close to one of the boy’s deep aquamarine eyes. 

“You’re so lucky I’m a doctor~!”

He first prodded it against the cornea, dragging it upwards towards the pupil before pressing into with all his might.    
  
“Oh Midori… I’ll take care of you....” 

The small puncture caused eye fluid to seep out, blinding the boy. Izumi did nothing but shriek with excitement as he felt the boy kick and squirm beneath him. Midori’s screams were haunting, loud and desperate, but this did nothing to stop the doctor. 

“I can see it now~! Midori, an obstacle in my path that is slowly fading away~ Hehehehe, how wonderful~!” 

With all his taunting words, enough force allowed Izumi to pop out the eye like an olive in a martini glass. The grey haired boy stared at it for a moment, before pulling it off with his bare hand and tossing it aside. It rolled along the floor, leaving a small gooey trail in its wake.

He soon did the same with the other eye, leaving Midori in a bloodied, nauseating mess. The holes where his eyes were, were nothing more that remains of tissue and veins, something you’d only wish to see out of a horror movie. Though, red eyes widened a bit when they felt the movie slowing. 

“Hey Midori, you can’t leave just yet~ I’m not done with you, fufufu~”

Izumi made quick work of his clothes, particularly ripping open the fabric of his shirt. Loud squishing noises filled the heavy atmosphere as the needle was lodged repetitively into the boys chest. Flesh was torn open, exposing veins and rib bones, a very violent sight. 

The boy’s movement stilled beneath him, causing the silver haired man to frown. Blood dripped from his hands, stained his clothes, and tainted his face as he marvelled at his work. A happy gasp escaped his lips as he stood up to get a better view.

  
“Say, Midori... I think I prefer you this way~ Hehehe... Now you’re no longer a hindrance to my efforts. I’m only ever so closer to my precious Yuu-kun~’’ The doctor’s shadow loomed over the unmoving figure, the red liquid pooling quickly around his feet. A smile twisted on Izumi’s lips, leaning ever so closer to his poor, poor prey, as if he were leaning in to whisper. “Midori, you should be listening. Ignorance is deserving of punishment, you know~’’ 

•┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈•

  
Footsteps creaked raucously as the silver haired man stepped into his home, radiating an air of confidence, as any host should. The atmosphere was pungent, staling the air into a scent of decay. He was unsure of the unusual smell that permeated the air from time to time, instead, Izumi hoped it would go unnoticed by the guest.    
  
It was almost second nature at this point for Izumi to take in those lost in the woods, finding them during his routine nightly stroll. After all, the outside was far more dangerous than his humble abode. The one Izumi had taken in for the night had chestnut brown hair, matching eyes, and seemed far too energetic for his liking. He was a young looking boy, one that youth never seemed to abandon. The boy was more than willing to accompany Izumi back to his home, spouting some nonsense about wanting to protect him from the rumoured danger. He even offered to hold the lantern the entire way back, an offer Izumi politely refused of course.   
  
After lighting the living room, the doctor turned his attention back to the boy. There was a simple, friendly smile plastered on his face, one that felt warm, accompanied by the flickers of the fireplace.    
  
“ _ Chiaki _ ... was it?” Another name that rolled off the tongue far too well. “Make yourself comfortable while I go fetch us some tea. Then perhaps we can discuss this friend of yours that’s gone missing, yes?” 

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to Kana, Ritsu, Jelly, and Lena, my lovely editors that spent countless nights helping me write this.
> 
> Comments/kudos/bookmarks are appreciated! Thank you for reading.


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